Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, will attend the annual Brussels Seafood Exhibition on 24 April. After visiting several Member States' national stands, Commissioner Damanaki will launch the new online European Market Observatory for Fishery and Aquaculture Products (13h40). This new product, developed by the European Commission to foster market transparency and economic democracy, is a user-friendly and multilingual platform offering comprehensive data on fish and seafood production for each area of Europe and through every step of the supply chain, as well as on imports, exports and consumption trends. Having timely information on prices and market trends will enable producers to better meet demand, thus increasing the market value of their produce.

The Commissioner will also discuss a number of fisheries issues with Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Ms Liesbeth Berg-Hansen, and later that day she will attend an event organised by the Norwegian delegation in the nearby Atomium, where, under the guidance of a renowned local chef, a group of primary school children will cook a seafood-based meal and discuss the health merits of fish (16h10).

At the end of her visit, Commissioner Damanaki will present the prizes to the winners of the Olivier Roellinger Culinary Competition for Sustainable Seafood at an award ceremony (17h30).

The Brussels Seafood exhibition, which takes place at Heysel on 23-24 April, is the world's largest seafood trade fair and brings together as many as 1.600 exhibitors from over 70 countries. For the 19th consecutive year the European Commission will have its own stand (Hall 7, Stand No 1411), where members of the public and the press will have the opportunity to meet EC experts and discuss a wide range of issues concerning fisheries and maritime affairs.